Get your fix

When her grandchildren visit from California, Charlette Karumm treats them to farm-fresh foods, especially "real corn."

By Sarah Lemon

When her grandchildren visit from California, Charlette Karumm treats them to farm-fresh foods, especially "real corn."

"We eat corn until we can't stand it anymore," says the Central Point resident.

Impatiently withstanding the wait for sweet corn, Karumm and other customers of Seven Oaks Farm finally got their fix last week. The crop will continue into October with daily sales topping 10,000 pounds. Priced at 41 cents per ear or $4.50 per dozen, the corn is never more than 24 hours old, or it goes to the farm's cattle.

Specializing in melons, tomatoes and sweet onions — and dabbling in all manner of vegetables from beets and cucumbers to peppers and zucchini — Seven Oaks became known for sweet corn since opening its country store in 1995.

For fall, all manner of winter squash and pumpkins will populate the property that has been in Doreen Bradshaw's family for nearly 80 years. The store at 5504 Rogue Valley Highway is open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday

With fields fronting Interstate 5, Seven Oaks' crops compel customers' gaze starting in spring. Watkins says she watches every day for signs that Seven Oaks is close to opening while she drives home from Grants Pass.

"I do a lot of canning and freezing," she says, stuffing pickling cucumbers into a green mesh bag.

"It's just a big 'yea!' " says Watkins of the store's season opener.

Corn aficionados may have wondered if Seven Oaks' crop would ever mature, says Bradshaw, explaining that the stalks are strangely short this year, although the ears are good-sized. Seven Oaks sows its bicolor, or polka-dot, varieties beginning in April and finished planting earlier this month to ensure a continuous supply. If customers encounter a bad ear, Seven Oaks encourages them to bring it back for another, rather than pulling the leaves away from the kernels before purchasing.

The sweet corn harvest was due to start this week at White's Country Farm in west Medford. Last year's price was $1 for three ears. The store at 3939 W. Main St. is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Weekly farmers markets also offer locally grown sweet corn. When purchasing, look for ears with green husks, moist stems and silk ends free of decay. Kernels should be small, tender, plump and milky when pierced, and they should fill up all the spaces in the rows.

Keep fresh corn, unhusked, in the refrigerator until ready to use, wrapped in damp paper towels and placed in a plastic bag. The typical shelf life is four to six days.